Who controls Kosovo's oil market?

The poor quality of oil derivatives, the establishment of privileges for specific oil companies, the failure to control the case of the production is just some of the irregularities mentioned in the oil derivative sector.

It is the leaders of the Association of Oilmen of Kosovo who talk about lack of control, asking the Government of Kosovo to establish order in this sector.

Fadil Berjan, chairman of this association, tells Radio Free Europe that irregularities in the sector are present. But, according to him, with increased control and quality guaranteeing could also be adjusted the amount of import entering Kosovo.

“I cannot say how and where oil comes from in Kosovo, but smuggling with this product in the northern part is less than previous years”.

I think that with greater tightening and verification of quantity and quality, it will be affected in avoiding tax evasion. Fiscal output can be lowered even more if it is decided that all oil derivative companies will install special fiscal crates”, Behrani says.

The debates over oil market control have also opened in the Kosovo Assembly. As one of the most profitable sectors, it is political parties themselves who accuse each other of controlling this market and established irregularities.

A fierce discussion about this subject has been held between the deputies of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and those of the Democratic League of Kosovo.

Xhavit Haliti, deputy of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, has asked former Trade and Industry Minister Hykmete Bajrami, deputy of the Democratic League of Kosovo, who controls the oil entry into Kosovo.

“Around oil entering Kosovo, no minister has been able to show how much tax evasion Kosovo has been through smuggling in Kosovo”, Haliti has indicated.

He has said that the resulting ministers, including Hykmete Bajrami, would have to give responsibility for these uncertainties.

Instead of answering, Hykmete Bajrami had found that the control of oil in Kosovo has the Democratic Party of Kosovo, part of which Haliti is.

Your people have been leading customs for years and you know who has smuggled and whose pockets have money from smuggling”, Bajrami has declared.

By contrast, since last year, with a decision by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, competencies for inspection of the quality of oil derivatives have been carried to Kosovo Customs.

To regulate the oil sector, Fadil Beryan asks the Kosovo government to adopt the new oil fuel law.

We're the only country in the world paying licenses for every two years. There are many important criteria that can be regulated by law. We are the smallest country per capita, but the largest gas station” state, Berryan says.

Currently, Kosovo does not own oil derivative refinerys, so this almost most wanted product in the country is imported from countries in the region and Europe. According to official data, about 650 million litres is the amount of oil fuels that enter Kosovo within a year.